Alexandria launches 'Built to Last' Building Safety Month at Waterfront Park

A clear sky, a 60-degree breeze off the Potomac, and the strains of "The Star-Spangled Banner" set the tone Friday morning as roughly 100 residents, code officials, contractors, and trade-association partners gathered at Waterfront Park for the kickoff of Alexandria's 14th annual Building Safety Month, under this year's national theme, "Built to Last."

The free event, hosted by the city's Code Administration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1A Prince Street, drew two dozen tents from sponsors, professional associations, and emergency-services agencies. The speaking program began just before noon, with Mayor Alyia Gaskins closing it by signing a proclamation that declared May 2026 Building Safety Month in Alexandria.

Joining the mayor were City Manager Jim Parajon, Councilwoman Jacinta E. Greene, Deputy City Manager Emily Baker and code officials from neighboring jurisdictions including Newport News and Fairfax County.

Two dozen tents from sponsors, trade associations and emergency-services agencies line Waterfront Park during Friday's Building Safety Month kickoff. *(Ryan Belmore/The Alexandria Brief)*

'Buildings are no longer just a structure'

Director of Code Administration Greg Fields, who emceed the program, opened by thanking the partner organizations on hand and framing what Building Safety Month is meant to do.

"Buildings are no longer just a structure that we occupy," Fields told the crowd, describing how engineers, plans examiners, inspectors, administrators, policymakers and contractors share the same goal of keeping the public safe. He flagged green construction, resiliency, product evaluation and artificial intelligence as forces reshaping the field, and made a particular pitch for continuous training of code officials and contractors alike.

Director of Code Administration Greg Fields opens the City of Alexandria's 14th annual Building Safety Month kickoff at Waterfront Park on Friday. Fields emceed the program and previewed how green construction, resiliency and artificial intelligence are reshaping the code field. *(Ryan Belmore/The Alexandria Brief)*

Parajon followed with a forceful endorsement of his staff, telling the crowd Alexandria has "the best code administration team I've ever worked with" in 36 years across five states. The line drew applause from the row of staff in matching event t-shirts.

He also previewed an effort to integrate artificial intelligence tools into the city's Virtual Permit Center, which he said businesses and economic-development partners already cite as one of Alexandria's most effective tools for attracting employers. Parajon tied the day to the City Hall renovation as well, holding it up as an example of what modern code compliance delivers in resilience and energy efficiency.

City Manager Jim Parajon praises Alexandria's Code Administration staff during Friday's Building Safety Month kickoff at Waterfront Park, calling them the best code team he has worked with in 36 years across five states. Parajon also previewed plans to integrate artificial intelligence tools into the city's Virtual Permit Center. *(Ryan BelmoreThe Alexandria Brief)*

A guest from the International Code Council

The morning's outside voice came from Christina Jackson, director-at-large of the International Code Council and code compliance supervisor for Newport News, who flew up directly from the ICC's annual code hearings. Jackson — the first African American woman appointed to Virginia's State Technical Review Board and a founding board member of Women in Code Enforcement and Development — framed "Built to Last" as a call to action for the next generation of code professionals.

"I challenge you to be deliberate advocates and educators," Jackson told the room, urging her fellow officials to mentor incoming professionals, attend career fairs and explain the rationale behind code requirements to contractors rather than simply enforcing them. She noted that 2026 marks the 45th year of Building Safety Month and argued that resilient communities require both trained professionals and an engaged public.

International Code Council Director-at-Large Christina Jackson addresses Alexandria code officials at the Building Safety Month kickoff Friday at Waterfront Park. Jackson, who also serves as code compliance supervisor for Newport News, traveled directly from the ICC's annual code hearings to speak. *(Ryan Belmore/The Alexandria Brief)*

A proclamation, with company

When her turn came, Gaskins insisted that every member of the Code Administration team in the audience join her at the front of the stage for the proclamation signing. The faster they came up, she joked, the faster the room could get to the Rocklands Barbeque tent.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins reads a proclamation declaring May 2026 Building Safety Month in Alexandria during Friday's kickoff at Waterfront Park, surrounded by members of the city's Code Administration team, whom she invited to join her at the front of the stage for the signing. *(Ryan Belmore/The Alexandria Brief)*

In her remarks, Gaskins drew a contrast between how residents typically first encounter code staff — through a 311 complaint or an anxious permit email — and the follow-up messages she said she invariably receives days later, thanking the team for its professionalism and technical knowledge.

"Virginia's success would not be possible without Alexandria," Gaskins said, crediting city staff with setting a standard now recognized across the commonwealth. She then read the proclamation, surrounded by the team it honors.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins tells the crowd that "Virginia's success would not be possible without Alexandria" before signing a proclamation declaring May Building Safety Month, at Waterfront Park on Friday. *(Ryan Belmore/The Alexandria Brief)*

Weekly themes and a wide partner roster

Building Safety Month is observed each May by jurisdictions worldwide and organized internationally by the ICC. Alexandria is following the campaign's 2026 weekly themes: "Safe Homes, Safe Communities" (May 1–10), "Voices of the Built Environment" (May 11–17), "Prepared to Protect" (May 18–24) and "Communities Without Limits" (May 25–31).

Friday's tent row reflected the breadth of partners that Alexandria's Code Administration works with day to day. Sponsors and exhibitors included the International Code Council, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, the Virginia Building & Code Officials Association, the Virginia Plumbing & Mechanical Inspectors Association, Women in Code Enforcement and Development of Virginia, and the Washington Area Council of Engineering Laboratories. Local first responders were represented by the Alexandria Police Department, the Sheriff's Office, and Alexandria Fire-EMS. Private-sector sponsors ranged from Hilti, Willdan, Cloudpermit, ECS, JES Foundation Repair, Specialized Engineering, and Paul Davis Restoration to neighborhood businesses, including Old Town Ace Hardware and Rocklands Barbeque, which served lunch. Washington Gas, RiverRenew and the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership rounded out the sponsor lineup.

A note on Friday's inspections

Code Administration advised customers that new-construction inspections on May 1 were limited to residential and emergency calls while staff supported the event. Routine commercial inspections resume Monday.

Building Safety Month programming continues through May 31. More information about Alexandria's events, weekly themes, and code-related services is available at alexandriava.gov/Code. The international campaign can be found at buildingsafetymonth.org.

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